ギガンティックシリーズ
「ゴジラ（1962）」

​JAPAN ORIGINAL RELEASE: JULY 2016

​NORTH AMERICAN (DIAMOND) REISSUE: MARCH 2018

​SERIES: GIGANTIC SERIES

​MATERIAL: VINYL

​FROM: “KING KONG VS. GODZILLA” (1962)
キングコング対ゴジラ

​HEIGHT (HEAD): 18 INCHES / 45.7 CM

​WIDTH: (TOE TO TOE) 16 INCHES / 40.6 CM

​WIDTH: (TOE TO TAIL) 25 INCHES / 63.5 CM

​LENGTH: (TOE TO CURVE IN TAIL) 17 INCHES / 43 CM

​FIGURE WEIGHT: 6 LBS, 14 OZ / 3118.45 G

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: © JOHN STANOWSKI

​GODZILLA: TM & © TOHO CO.,LTD.

X-Plus had tackled fan favorite Godzilla 1962 twice before (in the modern post 2008 series) in both the Large Monster Series and the Toho 30cm Series. The third time is a (big) charm with this latest release. The X-Plus Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962, ギガンティックシリーズ 「ゴジラ（1962）」 was announced in April 2016 and then released three months later in July.

This figure was re-issued for the North American market (through Diamond Distributors) in March 2018.

This vinyl is movie-accurate in both sculpt and paint applications. The result is one helluva King Kong vs. Godzilla collectible. Dare I say that it’s ‘the ultimate’ Godzilla 1962 collectible?

It’s about 18 inches tall and has quite a bit of heft to it at almost 7 pounds. Truly Gigantic.

There was a Ric Boy Exclusive Version which came with translucent dorsal fins tinted blue to recreate the look when Goji fired his atomic breath. A Standard Version with standard painted fins was available in stores. This review focuses on the Standard Version but there are plenty of Ric photos in the Collectors Gallery following this review.

This figure is the fourth entry in the Gigantic Series.

​This monster of a figure comes in a monster of a box. It’s length and width are 19 inches and 20 inches. It’s 22 inches high. Needless to say, shipping for this figure will be on the high side; even when shipped domestically.

The main body is well secured and protected, sandwiched between two foam pieces. The tail, which you must attach, is nestled in a cavity on the outside of the top foam piece.

​To add the tail, you’ll need to warm up the butt of the figure with a hairdryer. And don’t be stingy, this thick vinyl is going to need some persuading before getting soft enough to accept the tail flange. Do NOT heat the tail. You’ll want that flange (suction cup) to be stiff and sturdy when attaching.

But, before you do that, carefully inspect the tail. Unlike most X-Plus figures, the tail is sealed off and totally enclosed. Some figures which have been shipped overseas on airplanes have run into air pressure situations causing the tail to collapse slightly. I’ve heard of collectors simply drilling a hole into the tail to let air in. You’d do this right in the center of the flat plane inside the “suction cup”. And then the tail is heated and coaxed back into its original shape.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 vinyl figure by X-Plus. 18 inches tall and comes in at almost 7 pounds.

It’s the second figure in the Gigantic Series which is not stylized. And the first figure if you’re only counting un-stylized designs which were actually used in a Godzilla film.

​It’s attempt to be movie-accurate is very, very welcome in my book. Stylized sculpts can be quite exciting and dynamic. The Gigantic GMK and Burning Godzilla certainly are that. But, to me, nothing beats the “real thing”.

This figure is faithful to the movie and really, really well done.

Godzilla’s unique head design is captured perfectly in this sculpt. Since it’s larger than your typical X-Plus head sculpt, there plenty of room for more detail, which you do get.

A really nice touch are the eyes. You may not notice this at first glance, but the whites of the eyes are actually recessed into the sculpt. The actual eye surface is clear plastic with large, black pupils painted onto it (from the inside I think.) Upon close-up inspection, this gives them a nice sense of depth.

As usual with all high-quality X-Plus figures, each tooth is individually sculpted.

The head sculpt looks fantastic from all angles. And quite a feat considering the head changes shape depending on which direction you look at it from. The goofy “bullfrog” head-on look is captured perfectly.

I do actually think the side view needs work though if you’re looking to be totally accurate. The top of the head could be a bit flatter. I think the much maligned Large Monster Series sculpt actually does a better job of getting it right. But, I’m not complaining. The Gigantic does it well enough. And it looks freaking awesome. I don’t see how you could not just love this thing.

As with all figures in X-Plus’ Gigantic Series, you get the opportunity to get grand with texture.

Godzilla’s classic tree bark skin is very detailed and deep. And the shadows which its peaks give off when lit from the side add even more visual interest.

The terrain on the chest is flatter, yet still packed with tiny detail.

Another sign that you’ve got a high-quality vinyl is individually sculpted fingers which this guy has 8 of! I could be wrong about this, but I was under the impression that the suit didn’t actually have separate fingers but was, instead, made sort of like mittens. If so, the separate fingers here are a liberty taken by the sculptor. But it’s one I can live with. Sorry if I’m wrong about this. Just thought I should mention it. If anyone out there can confirm this, could you please let me know?

Also, Godzilla 1962 is often seen with rogue pinky fingers hanging lower than the rest of his digits. That detail isn’t present on this figure. Again: not complaining. I always thought that looked weird anyway.

​I don’t know what to say about the gigantic dorsal fins that you could not glean for yourself with the photo above. They’re huge and packed with an awesome, rough texture.

The pose of the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 is a tad more dynamic than most. The monster is hunching forward on to one side with his tail curled around his right flank.

There are so many different angles you could use to display this figure and it will look good in all of them. And since the tail is not reaching straight back, it’s not putting any restrictions on which direction you have him face.

And what’s great about this is, every month or so you could give it a slight tweak in rotation to make him almost seem like a new figure.

The one downside to this pose, though, is the illusion of a curly pig tail look you get when looking at his right side.

​There are no moveable joints on this figure. The tail joint is the only one not glued and you will see it only when put the tail on for the first time. After that, the seam vanishes in a grooved ring in the tail sculpt.

You can find seams on the figure if you really want to. But the thing is, you’d have to look for them. None of them stand out well enough that I feel the urge to even mention them.

I think this one is damn near seamless!

There usually isn’t that much to discuss when it comes to the paint apps on most of the Godzilla vinyls made by X-Plus.

He’s usually an off-asphalt black. Is it truly a reserved, off-black? Not to dark and toyish? Yes. Are the whites on the dorsal fins dirty and not overly, toyishly stark? Yes. Are these whites feathered well into the blacks of the fins. Yes. It looks fantastic!

Now on to KingGoji-specific painting details:

The claws — always a tricky area for a ’62 collectible. The feathering here usually looks like sloppy work, with no real boundary between claw and finger. Thing is, that’s how it was on the suit.

The teeth are a reserved off-white. His near-lipstick gums are an equally well-reserved brick red. I’ve already mentioned the work on the eyes. The pupils are painted on the inside of clear plastic shells allowing off white white’s, painted inside, to show through.

There are dusty, light highlights expertly applied to the folds over the knees and touches of brick red here and there on the chest. I don’t know if they belong there, but they do add a nice touch.

Overall, fantastic paint decisions and expert execution.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 is about 18 inches tall and its width from its left foot to the tip of its sideways tail is a whopping 25 inches!

It’s probably the largest figure which X-Plus has put out so far. It’s closest competition is the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995. The two are about the same height and the GBG is definitely longer with its straight tail. But the ’62 seems to have it beat when it comes to mass. It just has a bit more “presence”.

Clearing a spot in your collection for this huge figure to stand will be tricky as it is with all Gigantic Series figures. It’s just huge. Here are some numbers to help you plan:

The figure is about 18 inches tall. Its “front” is at its widest at the feet which are 16 inches apart from outer toe to outer toe.

The tail makes a hard turn to the figure’s right side which means you can place it closer to the wall. You’ll need 17 inches of shelf depth from the front of the toes back.

Though that tail bend is saving you space in the back, it’s taking up room on the side. The figure is 25 inches from its outer left toe to the tip of the tail on the side!

As I mentioned in the Pose section, the curved tail gives you more options when it comes to displaying it. And it could be rotated slightly now and then to freshen up the look.

​Here is a size comparison of the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 with the much loved Toho 30cm Series version (right) and the much-maligned Large Monster Series version (front).

​MARCH OF THE GIGANTICS
(Front to back) Gigantic Series Godzilla 2000, Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962, Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995 and Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001.

I didn’t have enough room to line the figures up side by side without having the backdrop creep into the frame, but this shot still tells all. Only the Godzilla 1995 stands up to the new ’62 in height. But the ’62 wins the fight when it comes to sheer mass and bulk.

(If you’re getting a hard-on for Gigantics, there’s more of ’em. Not shown here is the Gigantic Series Yuji Sakai Godzilla 1954 and the upcoming Gigantic Series Shin Godzilla).

X-Plus’ Ric Boy version (or Shounen Ric version) of this figure came with the dorsal fins molded in translucent vinyl which was tinted blue to replicate their look when Godzilla fires his atomic breath. The same asphalt black used on the body was applied to each fin but yielded to the clear blue at just the right distance from each spike.

As great as the blue fins look, this arrangement makes for a sort of visual contradiction since Godzilla’s mouth is not open in atomic breath position. It would have been a nice touch if the Ric went a step further and had an open lower jaw.

I have to say, personally, of all the color-tinted fins I’ve seen X-Plus put out, this one looks the best. They give off a look which mimics how they appeared in the movie really, really well. This is the only color-tinted variation I ever considered getting. I still didn’t get it, because there could be only one Gigantic 1962 in my collection. But they DO look good.

More photos of the blue-finned Ric version appear below in the Collectors Gallery.

​The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 vinyl figure by X-Plus is a masterpiece. Plain and simple. This KingGoji sculpt is accurate and dynamic, features realistic paint apps and has amazing detail and texture. And it’s huge!

I have to say it again: this is probably THE ultimate King Kong vs. Godzilla collectible. And probably one of the top Godzilla figures of all time.

By John Stanowski Originally posted March 19th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

ギガンティックシリーズ 「酒井ゆうじ造形コレクション」
ゴジラ1999 （ゴジラ 2000 ミレニアム）

​JAPAN ORIGINAL RELEASE: EARLY OCTOBER 2015

​NORTH AMERICAN DIAMOND REISSUE: MARCH 2018

​SERIES: GIGANTIC SERIES

MATERIAL: VINYL​

​FROM: “GODZILLA 2000: MILLENNIUM” (1999)
ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム.

​HEIGHT (HEAD): 14 INCHES / 35.5 CM

​HEIGHT (FINS): 15 INCHES / 38 CM

​WIDTH: (TOE TO TOE) 11.5 INCHES / 29.2 CM

​LENGTH: (HEAD TO TAIL) 28 INCHES / 71.12 CM

​FIGURE WEIGHT: 2 LBS, 10 OZ / 1190 G

REVIEW AND PHOTOS: © JOHN STANOWSKI

In July of 2015, X-Plus announced the then next figure in the Gigantic Series. And, to everyone’s surprise, it was a Sakai.

The Gigantic Series Yuji Sakai Modelling Collection Godzilla 1999 (2000) would be the third entry in the Gigantic Series, and the third in the Yuji Sakai Modelling Collection (which, apparently, can now jump into other series).

To the disappointment of some—and the delight of others—this would not be a sculpt based on the movie suit but rather an early conceptual work by Yuji Sakai.

I’m not clear on the history of this design but I’ll tell you what I think I know. Apparently, this Godzilla was originally created on paper, drawn by Shinji Nishikawa (who was responsible for most of the Heisei monster designs). Sculptor Yuji Sakai then took Mr. Nishikawa’s drawing and realized it in three dimensions.

I’ve always wondered why the Millennium suit departs from it as much as it does. Did the producers have it changed on purpose? Were there real world technical considerations which called for the changes? Or could it be that the Millennium Godzilla we all know simply be the best translation that suit-maker Shinichi Wakasa could accomplish?

But, back to the figure. I was reluctant to accept this sculpt over a movie version. It was the completist in me which demanded that the Add to Cart button be pressed. I’m glad I did.

Three months later, this badass landed on my doorstep. I’ve since come to appreciate this version… A LOT.

(UPDATE: This figure was reissued for the North American market thru Diamond Distributors in March 2018.)

The first two Gigantics came sandwiched inbetween two large blocks of styrofoam housed in a plain, brown box. The first thing you should notice about this box is that it looks like it belongs to the 30cm series. Yet, at 19″x19″x9″, it’s still pretty big.

The tail comes in two pieces. Plan ahead and decide which piece you want to attach first. Either way, something is going to get in the way during the next step.

I attached the small tail piece to the middle tail first. I used a hair dryer on the hole end and really warmed it up good. The hole is pretty small so there’s less room for the vinyl to make way.

I then attached the assembled tail to the main figure. Same as before, I heated the “butt hole”. This took a bit longer than usual. There is a piece of vinyl which runs down the back and holds all of the dorsal fins. It’s glued over the top of the hole making two layers you’ll need to soften up.

It’s been quite a while since I had to do this and I don’t remember how easy or hard it was to do. Gomen nasai.

​One of the first questions that arises when a new figure gets delivered to your door is “did the sculptor get this one right?” In this case there is no question. Yuji Sakai created this version of the design. And this vinyl comes from his own sculpt. In that sense, this is probably the most accurate X-Plus figure in your collection.

The only thing left for you to review is the awesome design he created. This thing is fierce and powerful—everything you’d want a new Godzilla to be. And it’s dynamic—even though it’s a static vinyl statue just standing there on your shelf.

It seems that every part of the design is rushing to dagger-like points. His dorsal fins are a set of crazy, lightning bolt swords. His frightening head and snout arrows into a point ready to stab his foes with yet more points in the form of his triple set of fangs. His arms are thin, armed with four dagger-like claws on each hand. The tail, unlike previous designs, tapers to a point like a giant spear. Even the texture of his skin seems to want to extrude further into sharp edges.

This thing is sharp!

The head looks like a dragon. It’s mouth, filled with individually sculpted teeth, looks real enough to bite. It’s inch and half long tongue is finely etched with detail. It’s crazy how much there is to see (and touch) in such a small space.

​The skin texture is a tactile playground. It’s deep and complex and runs all over the figure. I’m sure it probably looks even better on the original resin version, but this is still one hell-of-a-good-looking vinyl.

​Probably the most drastic departure from previous Godzilla designs is the look of the dorsal fins, now Millennium Godzilla’s signature feature. And they are so well done on this figure. Each individually sculpted fin is damn near a work of art and protrudes from the figure’s back creating an entire gallery of awesome.

But, wait. There’s more! This intricate, radiating array of spines doesn’t end at the base of the back. It continues down almost half of the tail. This toy ain’t no toy!

Sakai’s Godzilla 2000, in mid-roar, is in a standard walking pose which looks pretty fantastic from practically every angle.

TAIL BASE
You’ve no doubt noticed that clunky base supporting the figure’s raised tail. This is the main (and perhaps only?) drawback on this figure.

Yuji Sakai just seems to love sculpting tails up in the air. If can be honest for a sec here… I f*****g hate it. Once in a while, on one or two Sakai figures is okay. But, damn near all of them?

I’d like to be able to pick a figure up and put it down without having to line up the tail with that damn base. Grrr! Aaargh!

​Nothing bad to report here. The joints below the knees, above the biceps and round the neck are practically invisible. The joins there are filled in very well and really can’t be seen unless you specifically look for them.

The tail joint is a perfect fit and doesn’t stand out at all. It looks more like a statue than a vinyl.

​This figure has a base cost of the usual, reserved, asphalt-like, off black. In certain light, it often gives off a hint of having a tinge of green.

There are lighter blacks brushed in as highlights but they’re used sparingly occurring mostly at the feet and the side ridges along the tail. Greenish highlights are present on the tail as well.

The attention to coloring the inside of the mouth is astounding. The teeth are way-off-white, yellowed and come with a tartar brown near the base of each fang. The tongue is a reserved, dark red with an even darker wash in all of the grooves in the sculpt.

A final, clear gloss makes everything look organic and, well, wet.

As for those purple fins: what a strange and daring move by Yuji Sakai (and perhaps Shinji Nishikawa?)

The fins on the figure are coated with a dusty, almost metallic, purple which are very reflective in the light. This dark shade of purple is very reserved and so are not overly “Goofy Grape” as on a toy. Also, in the right light, plentiful specularities seem to create a band of magenta before fading back to purple.

​More attention was paid to the toes than we’re used to. The base black feathers up each toe from the cuticle area, but also washes up even further in each ridge in the sculpt. Very nice touch.

This third entry into the Gigantic Series is the smallest. While its actual height is technically almost the same as the Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001 (which leans forward drastically), this figure has noticeably less mass to it, making it less “gigantic”.

But, it’s still big. And it’s definitely bigger than anything in your 30cm Series collection.

The top of the head is 14 inches high. But, this figure actually needs 15 inches of clearance as the dorsal fins creep up another full inch.

Its footspan varies depending on how you angle it. 11 to 11.5 inches.

Despite it’s large size, this figure weighs only 2 pounds, 10 ounces. It’s very light in hand.

From the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail, this figure is about 28 inches long and is a clear shelf hog. But the curve of the tail easily tucks it out of the way and against the back wall making room for another figure to stand beside the main body.

Take special care of the dorsal fins to make sure they don’t get scraped by the next shelf up when putting him away. As already mentioned, it needs 15 inches of vertical space.

​Here is a size comparison of the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1999, and its box, with a couple of real world items.

THE GIGANTICS
Godzilla 1999 is the smallest of the Gigantics. (Left to right: Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001, Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995, Gigantic Series Godzilla 1999/2000).

THE SAKAI’S
This one is for Sakai groupies. The Toho 30cm Series Yuji Sakai Modelling Collection Godzilla 1991 (far left) and Toho 30cm Series Yuji Sakai Modelling Collection Godzilla 1989 (far right).

​THE 1999ers
Millennium fans, here is the Gigantic ’99 with the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1999 (far left) and the S.H. Monsterarts version (far right).

​RELEASES NEAR WINTER 2015
Here is a size comparison with other figures which were released relatively near the same time the Gigantic Godzilla 1999 was released. Left to right: Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 2014, Large Monster Series Godzilla 1995 and Large Monster Series Biollante.

The Ric Boy Exclusive version of this figure comes with translucent dorsal fins blazing in yellows and oranges just as they did before Godzilla fired his atomic breath in the movie.

They don’t light up, but the translucent vinyl used does allow light to pass through them. You can see more photos of the Ric in the Collectors Gallery below.

This figure is large and it has all manner of toes, teeth, fins and tail bits stretching out in all directions. When adding or removing this guy from the shelf, your eyes have to be everywhere. Take particular caution not to scratch the top spikes on its dorsal fins when placing on a shelf (especially if you have the metal units like I do).

To prevent any warping at his ankles, take care to position the tail base in an area that doesn’t cause the figure to lean forward. I usually put the figure down, lift the tail until both feet are flat, and then slowly slide the base along the tail until it just makes contact.

And watch out for those dorsal spikes while handling. They made be made of soft vinyl, but they can still do some damage. You’ll take your eye out, kid.

The Gigantic Series Yuji Sakai Modelling Collection Godzilla 1999 is big, bad and sharp. While not as large and certainly no where near as massive as the first 2 entries in the series, this figure still dwarfs the 30cm Series. It’s smaller… but it’s not small.

Although at first this seems to carry on the tradition of very heavy Gigantic Series stylization, this figure is actually dead-on accurate for what it is: a conceptual design which preceded the suit. It’s extremely detailed and intricate.

Having this thing in your collection is sure to turn heads!

NOTE: From here down, photos may be sweetened in Photoshop to over dramatize the figure a bit beyond reality.

By John Stanowski Originally posted June 28th, 2016​ on Kaiju Addicts.

ギガンティックシリーズ 「ゴジラ（1995年版）」

​JAPAN RELEASE: AUGUST 2014

​BLUEFIN SDCC EXCLUSIVE 1999 ° VERSION: JULY/AUGUST 2016

​JAPAN FROZEN VERSION: LATE 2016

​SERIES: GIGANTIC SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

FROM: “GODZILLA VS. DESTROYAH”, 1995
ゴジラVSデストロイア

​HEIGHT: 18.5 INCHES / 47 CM

WIDTH: 18 INCHES (TOE TO TOE) / 45.7 CM

​LENGTH: ABOUT 34 INCHES / 86 CM

​FIGURE WEIGHT: ABOUT 7.5 LBS / 3401 G

​ARTICULATION: NONE

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995 Version vinyl figure is the second entry into this new line from X-Plus. It follows on the heels of the Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001 Version which came out late 2013.

The ’95 was first announced in March or April of 2014 and a troubled production pushed its release date down to July (for the Ric Boy versions) and August (for the standard versions).

The two main things to note about this figure, the one before it, and any to come are their (gigantic) size, and the abandonment of hyper suit accuracy in the sculpt in lieu of hyper stylization. So, if you’re accustomed to having your new X-Plus figures look like they walked right out of the movie, you’ll need to adjust your perception in order to appreciate the artistic exaggerations that capture, instead, the power and spirit of these monsters.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995 is based on the daikaiju’s appearance from the movie Godzilla vs. Destroyah. In that installment of the Heisei series, Godzilla’s radioactive energy rages out of control which turns his body into a walking overheating reactor. Energy forced its way through to the surface of Godzilla’s tough skin and gave him a firey, glowing appearance. Fans and collectors often refer to this suit as “Burning Godzilla”.

For this figure, the rights were acquired to use the sculpt from a previous kit from another company. That kit came with LED lights to illuminate its ‘burning’ skin. X-Plus had originally wanted to do the same for their release, but production concerns caused them to abandon that plan. But even without lights, this figure looks firey enough just the way it is!

As per usual, Godzilla comes in two pieces: body and tail. The tail is reinforced on the inside with hard foam. No doubt if this foam wasn’t there, the thicker part of the tail would tend to collapse with only a squeeze or firm grip. LEAVE THE FOAM ALONE. Don’t try to remove it. You’ll just make a big mess and ruin your figure.

INSERTING THE TAIL
The traditional procedure requires you to heat the body hole with a hair dryer to soften the vinyl. You would then press in the (unheated and firm) tail into the body. But, this process does not seem to work with this figure. I attempted assembly this way the first time. The tail slid in easily, however it then slid out again just as easily. I suspect that the inner flange inside the body, when heated and softened, becomes too weak to grab onto the tail.

Instead, give it a try with NO hairdryer. I left my figure alone in a warm room while placing the tail in front of an air conditioner for a while to firm it up. After that, the tail popped right in, and stayed in. …mostly.

While the tail may seem snug inside the body, it can still come off fairly easily if you tug on it while pulling downward. I have to admit I’m stumped as to why this happens. It may have been designed to do that for some reason. If you look at the photo you’ll see that the flange at the top of the tail does not flare out as it does on the sides and bottom. I don’t know what to say about this. All I can say is that the tail stays put while the figure is on display, and even while carrying it around the house as long as you don’t tug on it.

Note: one collector I spoke to about this claims his tail is “locked” in and doesn’t pop out with a light tug. Here’s hoping you get one of those.

The X-Plus Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995 vinyl figure is Big and Badass!

As already stated, the sculpt never tries to be super suit accurate, but instead exudes a dynamic, artistic interpretation the likes of which you’d find in comic books. Which is okay by me because this thing blew me away when I got it!

It doesn’t totally ignore “reality” because from certain angles it, at a glance, does look somewhat passable as an accurate sculpt. But from most angles, it’s clear this thing is embellished.

It’s like this: the sculpt doesn’t show the Godzilla you see when you look at the TV screen. It shows the Godzilla you see in your mind!

Basically, it’s fat. It’s feet and thighs are too big for its mid-section. And it’s mid-section is too big for its head. Going down: it gets bigger. Going up: it gets smaller. This is reminiscent of what it would look like if Godzilla were actually standing in front of you. He would be large on the bottom and smaller on the top. (Like in the photo above.)

The head sculpt more than aptly captures the essence of DesuGoji’s fierce roar and glare. But, on to the details!

The teeth and tongue look like something you’d find on a high quality resin model and not on a vinyl. The teeth are really pointy and sharp. And the tongue has a ridiculously fine and deep texture. No, these bits are definitely not vinyl. I suspect they are made of hard polyurethane (PUR) plastic like the tongue on the Gigantic GMK was.

Seeing this detail in person, combined with the glaring eyes above it will blow – you – away.

The dorsal fins are sculpted with exaggerated size and are made of sturdy, translucent vinyl with deep textures and are even rough to the very tips. Light from behind the figure passes easily through them.

FIREY PATCHES
I could be wrong, but as far as I can tell, most of the body is molded in colorless, translucent vinyl. The asphalt black paint covers the “cooler” skin. I suspect that red highlights are painted (on the outside) onto the higher elevations of the skin texture in the hot spots. And I’ll bet that the dominant yellowish hues are coming from another layer of vinyl inside the body acting like a “double wall” just below the clear outer layer. (I’ve seen this extra wall inside the body before adding the tail.)

However this effect was achieved, the end result is jaw-dropping! Words just can’t describe how awesome these burning patches look in person nor how their appearance slightly changes as you look at them from different angles. And photos DO NOT do it justice! You have to see this in person to really appreciate it.

TEXTURE
The sculptor went above and beyond expectations when creating the treebark texturing on this figure. Deep and rough don’t even begin to describe it. You know how I always mention individually sculped teeth? Well, I almost feel I have to say that this figure has individually sculpted skin bumps! No, really. It looks like fanatical care went into every bump and groove. Just touching this thing will set your tactile sensors on overload.

Not much to say here except that the open hands with individually sculpted fingers are really expressive and that the claws have finely etched grooves on them. Other than that, the photos speak volumes about the quality of this sculpt.

​There is only one joint and that is where the tail connects to the body. When pressed in, the sculpt lines up absolutely perfectly. However, an ever so slight sliver of a gap may appear along the top of this joint, especially when you pick it up. This is due to the tail not completely locking in.

SEAMS
What seams?? You will not notice a single sloppy seam this figure. None!

But what if you look for them? Okay, if you look hard enough, you’ll eventually find them even though they are expertly glued and filled. They’re really not worth mentioning though, but I suppose in the interest of know where to grab this figure when moving it, I’ll tell you what I saw.

The feet below the knees are separate pieces. Curiously, the tops of the these pieces are not open like the rest of the figure and have solid tops inside. I suspect they may contain extra material to keep the feet weighted down like the Gigantic GMK has. There appears to be a seam running around the waist. there is a peculiar seam running down the back on both sides. Normally, the body is all one piece except for the back strip of dorsal fins. But this dorsal piece extends well out to both sides. There is a tiny seam running over the forehead making me think the whole top of the face is a separate piece. You can’t really see this seam, however, you can and will notice a sudden change in texture complexity on the top of the head. It suddenly stops when it reaches this seam. This is the one and only possible complaint I could have about this otherwise awesome vinyl statue.

Not much to say about the pose. Once again, pretty standard stuff and it looks good that way. The figure’s left foot is slightly further back than its right. The arms seems to be gently swaying to the figure’s right which is logical if it’s taking a step forward with its right foot. Godzilla’s stare is directly slightly toward ground level (shelf level?) and is perhaps 30 degrees from the ground plane. So, this guy is not looking at Destroyah. He’s looking at little, tiny you. Get running.

​Godzilla’s tail swoops up and then down again like it’s being tugged on by one of special effects director Koichi Kawakita’s invisible strings. The tip of the tail does not reach the ground like the Godzilla 1964’s tail was apt to do. I think it looks great. …and really Heisei-ish!

Curiously, most of the embellishing stylization is absent from both side views. This is damn near a respectable accurate sculpt!

This figure has a traditional asphalt black for the cool, un-firery areas. And it’s mostly just that, black. The incredibly deep texture in the sculpt, though, adds TONS of highlights and shadows when you add light. As for paint highlights, there are slight dabs of a lighter black brushed on here and there. This highlight paint is glossy and gives the figure super, super subtle glistens. And while subtle in most areas, this highlight color is suddenly applied very liberally on the face which abruptly ends at the nearly invisible seam behind the eyes. You can see this somewhat clearly on one of my Photoshop composites below in the Extras section.

EYES
The eyes have vivid yellow corneas with thick black outlines floating on a dark red. These eye colors must be decals because if you zoom into the eyes from a high res photo, you’ll find tiny, notchy lines like those found on a clock. You can see a photo of one eye fairly close up in the Sculpt section of this review.

HOT SPOTS
The lack of noticeable highlights on the black skin is quickly forgotten when you feast your eyes on the fiery reds, oranges and yellows on the burning areas of Godzilla’s skin. Words and photos can not even begin to fully impart how AWESOME this looks. As already mentioned in the Sculpt section of the review, it seems that most of the body is molded in colorless, translucent vinyl and that the base yellow color is actually painted on the inside of the figure! This allows the color to show through but also lets refraction give these areas a crystal like effect. Red highlights are adding on the outside surface where it borders the regular black skin.

The comination of paint, translucent vinyl and deep textures in the sculpt make this figure a feast for the eyes.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995 looks like it’s a head or two taller than the Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001. But they still make for fine shelf fellows since the GMK is leaning forward. If the GMK could suddenly stand up straight, he’d be eye to eye with the ’95. The hands and feet are about the same size on both figures. They look great together. Okay, so who wants to start an entire collection of X-Plus Gigantic Series figures now?

​And now a size comparison with… so, who’s this little guy here? Little? That’s the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1992! Breaks my heart to see that 12 inch badass 92 look so small! Do you see what you’re in for now if you get into the Gigantic Series?

REAL WORLD SIZE COMPARISONS

For a ‘real world’ size comparison I brought the old soda can back for a shot. Instead, I’m trying something new. To help you completely and utterly appreciate the size of this figure, here are some shots of collectors with their new Gigantic 95’s.

​It goes without saying that this figure will demand most of the shelf. That’s if you have a shelf big enough to hold it. It’s 18.5 inches tall and 18 inches wide from foot to foot. And if that were not bad (good?) enough, it’s a whopping 30 inches tall from toes to tail. 34 inches if you go nose to tail. And that tail… it doesn’t curve to the side to let you push it closer to the wall. No, this tail goes straight back curving only up and down.

Finding a place to fit this figure into your collection is going to require some thought and planning on your part and might wind up being a big problem for many. But, like I always say: It’s a good problem to have!

​Planning the Ric Boy version exclusive feature for this figure seems like a no-brainer. The exclusive should come with a light gimmick. But as mentioned earlier, that option was off the table. Instead, we got a return to form for X-Plus with the inclusion of a mini figure/prop.

The Ric Boy version of this figure comes with a mini Oxygen Destroyer and it looks suuuh’weeeet! The oxygen destroyer rests on a solid resin base sculpted to resemble the rocky bottom of Tokyo Bay where it was used to dispatch the original Godzilla in 1954. It has a nice texture to it and bears the Godzilla vs. Destroyah title written in katakana. And overly obvious block of legal crap sits below it, much larger than it needs to be.

A nice touch: the oxygen destroyer can be removed from the base!

​The oxygen destroyer piece is a reissue of sorts of the one which accompanied the 30cm Godzilla 1954 Ric Boy original release. It’s made of plastic and features a clear tube to reveal the “ball” inside which held a large helping of Dr. Serizawa’s oxygen destroying powder. It also features real metal posts along with nicely sculpted knobs, dials and bolts.

The only difference with this version is that it’s lost all of its shiny, new looks and instead is painted with a darker silver and expertly dabbed or sponged with dark, grungey paint texture to represent 42 years of salt water corrosion. Oh, and the ball is open! It really is a pretty incredible model.

Is it worth the extra cash? That’s for you to decide. Myself, I have to say it’s pretty nice having a miniature of such an iconic device from Godzilla history on my shelves.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995, 1999° Version SDCC Exclusive was released in the fall of 2016. This version was licensed to Bluefin Distribution in the U.S. and was sold at San Diego Comic Con. Leftovers are being made available to online stores and comic stores.

It came with the tail already permanently attached. The vinyl also featured larger red patches. The smaller, non-translucent dorsal fins are more of a stark white.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995, Frozen Version, ギガンティックシリーズ ゴジラ1995 凍結ver. was released in the fall of 2016. It featured the same details as the original Japanese release with an added ice effect to mimic the scene where Super X III attempted to freeze the monster in the water.

It came with a mini Super X III.

​NOTE: THIS FIGURE DOES NOT LIGHT UP!
The photos depicting glowing light below are merely Photoshop embellishments meant to celebrate the figure’s awesomeness.

By John Stanowski Originally posted July 28th, 2014 on Kaiju Addicts.

​エクスプラス ギガンティックシリーズ 「ゴジラ（2001年版）」

​JAPAN RELEASE: DECEMBER 2013

​JAPAN BLUE FINS RE-ISSUE: LATE 2016

​NORTH AMERICAN (DIAMOND) RE-ISSUE: JANUARY 2018

​SERIES: GIGANTIC SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL (TONGUE: PUR)

FROM: “GODZILLA, MOTHRA AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK”, 2001
ゴジラ・モスラ・キングギドラ 大怪獣総攻撃

​HEIGHT: 15.5 INCHES / 39 CM

​WIDTH: 16 INCHES (TOE TO TOE) / 40.6 CM

​LENGTH: ABOUT 31 INCHES / 78.7 CM

​ARTICULATION: NONE

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

​In October 2013, X-Plus caught collectors off guard and announced the Gigantic Series: a new line of ‘gigantic’ vinyl figures. First up was Godzilla 2001 (GMK). X-Plus had previously released a Large Monster Series GMK as well as a Toho 30cm Series GMK, but this new figure would tower over both.

​The box is so large that they only come one to a case. The case is something you don’t usually see. And in this case, your seller will likely just slap the shipping label directly onto it and ship it to you just like that. It’s 25 inches tall (63.5 cm) and will cost you extra to have it shipped to you. EMS was charging something like $105 to ship from Japan to the U.S. FedEx is even more expensive.

Inside the case is a simple brown box with simple Ric Boy-style black art on the front. Since the figure is so heavy, it’s packaged into two pieces of thick styrofoam to make sure it reaches you safe and sound.

The X-Plus Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001 comes in two pieces: the main body and the tail. The hefty 20-inch tail is so big that it does not have the usual flanged (suction cup-looking) opening but instead has a thick rim to better support its weight. To attach it you need to soften the vinyl around Godzilla’s butt with a hair dryer so that it’s flexible enough to accept the tail. The vinyl on this guy is thicker than other X-Plus figures and so will take more time to get it to become soft. Don’t heat up the tail; leave it firm. If you are putting this together in the summer you may need to pop the tail into the refrigerator to firm it up. When the body is soft enough, just shove it in. Mine went in surprisingly easily.

THE BASE
Included with this figure is a “base” sculpted to look like a chunk of battle damaged concrete. It’s meant to go under the tail to help support its weight.

It’s hard to tell from the photo above, but there’s a slight depression across the top of the base that’s as wide as the tail. When I first saw it, I had the impression that the tail should fit into this depression completely from one end to the other. But the tail actually only needs to rest on about half of it. If you push the base too far under the tail’s lower curve, it will be pushing the figure up off its heels.

The figure stands fine without the base since it’s lower legs are filled with solid resin to help him keep balanced. But I would suggest using the base anyway to prevent gravity from pulling the tail down and possibly opening a crack in the top of the seam.

Okay, let’s get a couple of things out of the way first:

ARTISTIC LICENSE
The new X-Plus Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001 strays from the norm of uber realistic sculpts and offers a powerful, dynamic, stylized interpretation instead. If you’re looking for movie-suit-accuracy, save your money for the March figures. On the other hand, if you’d like a powerful, dynamic, stylized behemoth of a Godzilla figure, this one’s for you.

IT’S BIG
This figure is the first in the aptly named “Gigantic Series” and it’s not just big… it’s literally gigantic. It’s head really is in the sky. It’s 30 inches of awesome. It’s so humonganoid that you’re going to find yourself wondering where the hell you can put it. Only the bravest, widest and sturdiest of shelves can hold him. Better idea: get him his own table.

LIKENESS
I’ve seen stylized sculpts that were waaaay out there, but this one isn’t so bad. It obviously looks like GMK. His characteristic fat, feline head, unique dorsal plates and white eyes are all present, just with more flair.

GAIT
This figure has larger legs, clearly more muscular and spread wider than the suit could ever manage. The upper torso is far too thin for GMK, but this can only be seen directly from the front, and looking up from a low angle.

FINS
Gigantic GMK’s dorsal plates are much larger. All three rows of fins also fan outward at a more extreme angle. This is mostly visible only from a rear or overhead view of the figure. Their stylized characterics are visible from most angles yet at others the fins can look better and more suit-accurate than those on the X-Plus 30cm Series Godzilla 2001.

TEXTURE
The X-Plus Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001 has awesome texture. While all the skin patterns mimic the suit in all the right places, they are stylized in that their texture is so exaggerated and deep. Be prepared for your tactile sensors to go on overload while handling this thing.

The claws on the hands and, especially, the feet are also super detailed with deep ridges.

TONGUE
A really small detail worth mentioning is the tongue. The only polyurethane part on the figure, it’s covered in a super-fine, bumpy texture that really sticks out. (Oh, what the hell. Pun intended.)

Collector Rich Eso brought to my attention the detail on the roof of the mouth. I didn’t even notice it at first. Its gooey, red ridges are second only to the 30cm Gameras. It’s nice to know that should you choose to explore this figure closely that there’s plenty to discover.

There are no non-glued joints except for the tail which butts up against the butt pretty well.

The only obvious glue-seams are below both knees. They’re filled in well, but the deep, bumpy texture on the leg does not traverse it, thus making them noticeable.

There are glue-seams at the top of both legs. The seam above the figure’s right leg is filled in very well, but not as much care was taken with the left leg, no doubt because it will be facing the wall. If you want to find a line where the lower jaw meets the body, you can, but it’s really not obvious. All of the individual dorsal fins have visible lines where they meet the back but they are very well obscured by other fins and ridges. Overall, there aren’t very many panty lines on this figure which is a huge plus for me.

​The X-Plus Gigantic Series GMK is posed hunched over in mid-roar, his body arced in a turning pose. And it looks awesome from almost every angle.

Click on the photos below for gigantic, hi-res versions!

The X-Plus Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001 is covered is standard, asphalt black which seems even darker with the addition of tiny shadows from its deep texture. The skin’s higher elevations are gently highlighted with a subtle, lighter shade. (I wish they painted the 30cm Series version this color!). The light in the room plays on the figure’s coarse skin for even more visual variation.

BONE WHITE
The boney protrusions of the claws and dorsal fins are painting in a wildly, stark white. If this figure didn’t have as much detail as it does, I’d say it was toyishly white. But as it is, it seems just another embellishment in this figures stylized design. I have to say, though, it’s mighty bold and seems to demand your attention.

DEMONIC EYES
Godzilla’s possessed eyes of white aren’t fully painted, but instead are airbrushed near the front which gradiates to black in the rear. Another paint stylization which tries to keep the look of the suit while making these souless eyes look like they’re aimed forward. Nice touch.

KAIJU BREATH
The teeth start out white but feather into a saturated yellowy-orange which, to me, seems to be calling for attention much the same way a bright stripe on a racing car does. I think this could have been toned down to more of a tan or brown. But it is nice to know the teeth are so big that there’s room for paint detail.

NOTHING COMPARES
Not many other X-Plus figures can compare to this. The Large Monster Series Viras beats it in height by half an inch, but keep in mind that Godzilla is slouching. The only figure that even comes close to the Gigantic GMK as far as overall size and mass is the Large Monster Series Biollante, but even that giant of a figure gets dwarfed. (I have her boxed up right now else I’d pair them up for you.)

(Pictured above: 30cm Series GMK on the left, Large Monster Series on the right. I believe you know the one in the middle.)

​It’s almost 16 inches tall, 16 inches wide and a whopping 31 inches long. Many of you, myself included, won’t even have a shelf capable of supporting this beast. But if you do, its curved pose makes it easy to display on the right end and leaves plenty of room on the left for other figures to creep in beside it if you don’t mind them getting hugged by GMK’s huge tail.

Like I said earlier: you might consider just getting it its own table. Or if you really, really love it… a pedestal.

STILL BEATING HEART
Well, isn’t this lovely? The Ric Boy version of this figure comes with a reproduction of GMK’s ejected heart as it was seen at the end of the movie, still beating at the bottom of the bay. I don’t have the Ric Boy version so please enjoy this slimey production photo from X-Plus.

Kyle Yount (KaijuCast) was at X-Plus headquarters in Osaka, Japan Friday (in 2013) where he got to hold the new Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001. Who knows what other wonders he got to lay his eyes on while there? To find out click on the video link above from the Kaijucast Youtube Channel.

​By John Stanowski Originally posted January 18th, 2014​ on Kaiju Addicts.